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    tions and bruises ,, naturally caught in the hurried flight of so many dismayed persons . All the conspirators had time to get away . Pistols and revolvers were found scattered in the streets near at hand . Many police-officers rushed wildly from the neighbouring cabarets . It is true , Aras ' SAira-Bi , and a band of faithful Corsicans , were not daunted , and rallied round the Emperor and Empress , staining the gown of the latter with blood . The Emperor was one of the first to recover his pre ^ sence of mind . His voice was heard high above all others enjoining calm ; and calm was at length restored . The Lancers drew Their

    up , ashamed of their panic . Imperial Majesties entered the theatre , enjoyed as best they might the acting of Madame Kistohi , and returned at midnight amidst acclamations to the Tuileries . Meanwhile , the signs of butchery had been removed . All traces of the blood that had flooded the gutters had disappeared . There were only a few broken windows on either side of the street . Some half-dozen men , wounded and despairing , and , we hope , remorseful for their useless , crime ,, were skulking home tracked by the police ; and all Paris was talking of the tragedy that had taken place , and the still worse tragedy that had been averted .

    If the whole world is unanimous in condemning this atrocious business , this massacre of innocent men , women , and children in the attack on a life which is not touched , it is almost equally unanimous in , agreeing with the conspirators on . one point . Had they succeeded , there would have been an end of the Bonapartist dynasty for ever . The very name of Napoleon would have been forgotten in the tremendous convulsion that would have ensued * To say the contrary is mere policy , or the evidence of fond parental

    or dynastic delusion . A dozen different parties are waiting , to seize upon power . The death of the Emperor would open the flood-gates . This it ia that condemns his system as false and dangerous ; but this it is also which enhances the criminality of the attempted assassination . To overthrow a Government even by straightforward means , when there is a moral certainty that it can be succeeded only by anarchy , has always been considered the greatest of political mistakes . No doubt the necessity of something

    like order to save a nation from perishing would at length lead to a new dictatorship . But is this a j > rize worth runniug such tremendous riaks ? Ho must be mad or drunk with vanity who is ready to take upon himself the responsibility , of all the blood that will be shed in France the next time that the great problem , of legal liberty ia discussed with cannon and . musketry in the streets . The conspirators * therefore ,, can expect no sympathy from . England . As far as is at present known they are Italians ; but many

    circumstances seem to indicate that instead of being friends of M . Mazssiwjc , as has been gratuitously supposed , they were decidedly severed from him , in . policy . We suspect that it will be found tliey acted entirely m obedience to their own gloomy fanaticism . At any rate , it would be most unjust and absurd tot envelop in their condemnation any persons not strictly proved to have been their accomplices . An undiscriminatiiig cry against the

    refugees who now enjoy the hospitality of EnglaTTd ^ oTild ^ e ^ th " e ~ wor 3 tr"as- "it ~ woiild- 'be the most ungenerous , of mistakes . Every person , who flies , from oppression , in his own country is not necessarily an nasaaau ) . Even such as are . ready to take up arms to raverse the decision of arras , " should be regarded with the greatest indulgence . The pcesont . Emperor more than once started with cannon , muskets , ammunition of Mar , money , and , men , to stir up civil war in , JTrnnce .

    Nothing that has been said in . extenuation of his offence should be mow forgotten , if it be proved that the exiles who have taken his place have been ready to imitate his example . It is our duty to repress all such attempts by means of the laws provided for that purpose . Nothing more . Any demand inconsistent with the duties of hospitality must be met with a prompt and unconditional

    refusal . There seems no doubt that the Emperor will make the first trial of his influence , backed by some display of force if necessary , against Belgium . The press of that country , or rather a small and unimportant fraction of it , seems inclined to provoke such measures . Perhaps the writers think that an attack on Belgium might lead to complications favourable to their ulterior views . They must be disappointed . Tbe battle for the right of hospitality must be fought by all liberal Europe on whatever field may be chosen .

    The laws of Belgium provide a remedy for such a gross offence a » apology for assassination . Let those laws be applied , if the offence has really been committed ,, in their utmost rigour . Already the Brussels police has proved itself tolerably subservient . At such a time , as Belgium can scarcely pretend to hold its head so high , as England , no one will object to a little extra severity . But any attempt at wholesale and indiscriminate persecution should be repelled by every power which does not care to become virtually a province of France . If we sacrifice Belgium , our turn will eome next . At such a time it

    is necessary to speak out the truth without phrases . There is real danger that , considering our position , in India to be more critical than it is , the familiars of the Emperor may take a turn and demand concessions which , if we ever listen to without indignation , would go more to lessen our prestige in Europe than the loss of a great battle .

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    OUR EPITHALAMIUM . Iir I / ove all extremes meet and accord . It will be no wonder , then , that , in a few hours , two Christian kingdoms will accept with happiness—by proxy—the light-sceptred rule of pagan Hymen . Ia a few hours two Christian countries will be wedded , for better , for worse . But while the air fills with the soft preludings of bridal songs , who can think of anything but of the ' better ? ' Have we not been told by all the newspapers , copying from an accomplished contemporary , that the Poet Laureate is pruning his wings for a flight of panegyric on the Royal nuptials ? Do we not know that from the stage of the Lyceum Theatre another dramatic poet , Wissx : lan : d Mabstow , is prepared to soar with unpruned wings into the empyrean of laudation , in honour of the high event ? And shall we , dreaming away the propitious hour in doubts and visions of ills that may not descend upon this marriage of our country ' s daughter , be silent ?—offer her no pleasant homage ?—be alone without our wedding-day congratulation—our epithttlaunuin ? " Away with the thought ! " as editors Bay .

    But let us approach tho altar by slow and reverent stepB , stopping to pay due homage to the lloynl mother , soon to lose the charm of daily intercourse with hei * fifrfltborn 7-- ^ Miere ^ s-- ^ iot- ~ a ^ K . oyal--iamily--iix-rthe world which is so bound to the hearts of the people over whom fortune has placed them as Queen Victoria and- hep children . From the hour of her mnrringe , slie has not boon more Queen of tho land than chief in tho domestic virtues of her kingdom , tho extolled exemplar of wives nnd mothers ; and she has never appeared more great or royal than when as Queen she lins performed some act

    dictated by feelings that liva only by the hearth-side , and that find sympathy nowhere but in the heart of home—the English heart of hearts . Thanks to the perfect trustfulness , with which her frank and tender home * Hfe has inspired her people , the cloud which always—or almost always . —overshadows the idea of a royal marriage , has not rested upon , this of her daughter ; no one believes that she , nurtured so carefully , the first-born of a model mother , has been sacrificed at th& shrine of state necessity . The Qceeit has , given her child , it is said , not to cold policy but to > affection . Is the affection less

    welcome because it includes something august , judicious , and advantageous to public business ? Deep murmurs , of distant shouts com © running upon the wind , nearing and swelling . A few moments more and the sound of drums , abrupt and confident of tone , rises above the : long-pealing shout of the thronging multi tude ; and then there spring high above all

    other sounds the gallant voices of trumpets — speaking , like auguries . Drums and trumpets for a young lady ' s wedding I " Do you call that nothing ? " Ay ; and cannons thundering , too , till the heavens * tremble . Among the jewels lately presented to the bride by her affianced was a pearl necklace worth 40001 . Could Paul have bestowed that upon VraaiKiA ? But the blessings are indeed innumerable : ' what

    other girl * can go to church in a train so superbly ample that eight young ladies are required to hold it up out of the dust ?¦ ' And what other girl' begins her married life with a prospect of so much 'domestic happiness—such splendid houses—such superb carpets—such curtains—such carriage * — -such power ! If any ordinary Fbebebice : is a decent fellow , his Victoria may be able to screw out of him a shawl , to make him subscribe to her favourite charitable object ,. or to vote for papa ' s friend as churchwarden ; but what other girl can convert her graces into political engines ? If he should

    inadvertently talk Russian ,, to put her pretty finger on his moutk is worth any treaty of alliance . If she is called ' mylove , ' it is peace in Europe . If there is a difficulty on the Elbe , an unstudied ' my darling' will remove it . Should Prussia beslow on the Danube , a pretty smile will animate the sluggish power . Should despotic ideas obtrude at Suns Souci , the bright English eyes will eye and laugh them away . * Nice customs' of the Zollverein will curtsey to her winning ways . " Will not Beauty rule when the royal eagle ' lies tangled in her hair ? ' What other girl can look for delightslike these' —for domestic bliss based on themap of Europe , virtue robed in ermine , or ecstasy exalted by trumpet and drum !

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    CROWN GOVERNMENT IN INDIA . PiitNOis AiiBBBT aspires to a new title , and his friends assure us that it will odd nothing to his influence or dignity , and is , therefore , not worth withholding . On this principle , the Whigs are iisking for the India patronage ,, on the plea that it is theirs already , and that , consequently , we are alarmed by a shadow . Nevertheless , tho truth stands where it was ;—a transfer of the East India Company ' s authority to- tbe Crown would throw of the Horse Guards nhd theMmiBfry Ttftheday . At present , not more than a ninth of tho home patronage is in tho hands of tho Preaiaidout of tho Boai-d of Control . Tho

    Governor-General bus been customarily a " mail of rank ; but , let tho proposed change oe sanctioned , and while tho aristocracy rule tho Court and camp , Wo shall have noblo loonl governors and noblo coinrnandors-in-cluoi .

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    8 THE LEADER . [ No . 40 & , January 23 , 1858 .

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Jan. 23, 1858, page 82, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2227/page/10/